DISTRIBUTION OF TASTE-BUDS ON FUNGIFORM AND CIRCUMVALLATE PAPILLAE OF BOVINE TONGUE

The distribution of taste buds on the fungiform and circumvallate papillae of the cow tongue was determined. The 2 tongues studied were from Holstein-Friesian cows 4-6 yr of age; they contained 14,765 and 21,691 taste buds, respectively. The tip of the tongue is well supplied with fungiform papillae and the posterior portion contains the circumvallate papillae. The midportion of the tongue contains relatively few taste papillae. The fungiform papillae contained 1580 and 1838 taste buds on the 2 tongues, respectively, and the circumvallate papillae contained 13,185 and 19,853 taste buds. The highest concentration of taste buds therefore occurs in the circumvallate papillae; these relatively few papillae contain approximately 90% of the taste buds. On a circumvallate papilla, taste buds are found only on the papillary sidewall, with none either on the apical surface of the papilla or on the outer wall of the moat.